Pleasures of Photography

[xoxoxoBruce]

Poking around Wunderground, I found this picture and caption.

I came around a switchback and found a house on the hillside: small, one story, concrete - 3 rooms max. In front was a pick-up truck with bars over the bed for a canopy. Hanging from the bars was a boy, calling, trying to get the attention of his family. They ignored him but I did not. I snapped a pic. He was thrilled. Then his brother jumped onto the truck and they both hung upside down laughing and laughing. And I snapped another pic. Gruffly from Dad: "Hey", + a burst of Spanish. He wants a dollar for the pix, maybe two. "Un Dollar!? - No es un dollar!" (can he tell I´m laughing inside?). I fish in my change purse and manage to come up with veinte-cincos for both boys. They are jubillant and rush into the house, from where I can hear the shouts, protests of a child who was not involved. Dad has disappeared inside, but Mom pops her head out and thanks me sincerely with a big smile. And I´m floating..

It reminded me, that taking a picture to save a thousand words, is only one of the reasons people do it. Many of us get other types of enjoyment from photography, other than the memories the pictures invoke, or the challenge of capturing an interesting item/scene.